What exactly makes the new Prince of Persia (PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, DS) title stand out, now that the new hero doesn't have the luxury of wielding the mighty Dagger of Time? Ubisoft explains the exciting new game mechanic during the ongoing Ubidays 2008 press conference.

In lieu of the dynamic time-twisting mechanic in the previous Prince of Persia titles, the Prince will make use of a new companion to step up the title's innovative gameplay. The new character, named Elika, will constantly assist the Prince throughout the game and can help him in various ways.

Prince of Persia producer Ben Mates had a couple of choice words to describe Elika. This was what he said:

"When you’re fighting, you do better because Elika helps you. Every single element of this amazing action hero's abilities are taken to the next level by [this character]."

Mates also confirmed that the game's main protagonist won't start out as a prince, and that he will be a completely original character detached from the previous heroes of the series. Mates described the new hero as "a wanderer, an adventurer", and that this played a major role in defining the character's personality.

Hopefully, more details of this exciting new title in the well-established franchise will be revealed as the Ubidays 2008 event runs its course. In the meantime, you can enjoy watching the epic trailer showing off the tandem of Elika and the new Prince below.